Wasted Time
by Amanary
Summary: What does it take for you to finally realize that you love someone?


**This story is a translation, and since English it's not my native language, I hope you forgive any grammar mistakes (and feel free to correct them.)**

**___Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima_**

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**Wasted Time**

The first rays of the morning sun bathed the room, spilling on the floor and the messy sheets on the bed. Gray had just returned from a quick trip to the bathroom and, as he sat on the mattress again, he could not suppress the smile that had formed in the corner of his lips at the sight of who shared the bed with him.

Her blue hair sprawled on the pillow, the curls she always had so perfectly done, messy and partially undone. Juvia slept peacefully, almost without emitting any sound, so quiet her breathing was. She faced the side of the bed that was occupied by Gray, and wore a pink silk nightdress that showed part of her chest, as well as the the delicate gap formed between her breasts. Her partially closed hand was right next to her face, the back of her index finger lightly touching her lips.

The sight of that sleeping woman could mean nothing significant to other people, but, for Gray, that was a small moment of happiness that Gray wished could last forever. Despite Juvia being a woman sure of herself, at that time she slept with the air of an innocent child. She reminded Gray of the days when she would only watch him from afar. It was as if nothing had changed after all those years.

How could he have been so blind? Having taken so long to understand that that woman loved him—and worse, having taken even longer to realize that _he_ loved her too? She was the only one in his eyes now, and he didn't understand how could there be a time when she was nothing more than a guild mate for him, a weird and often annoying girl, that was always near wherever he was and that kept addressing him by the honorific "sama".

Ironically, it was only when Lyon reappeared in his life that he realized Juvia meant to him more than he had thought. Gray had to almost lose her in that ridiculous bet Lyon made up to understand that he felt something more for the water mage. It was only when it seemed like Juvia would be lost to Lamia Scale for real that occurred to Gray he couldn't be without her. Her constant presence had become part of his life; the attention she devoted to him. And he had taken it for granted—whenever he needed, she would be there.

Then there was that moment when he thought he would lose it all. Only then for him to finally understand. And yet he considered himself more intelligent than Natsu. Damn, he was even worse!

At first he thought it was his rivalry with Lyon that made him so angry to see Juvia being disputed. He thought it was his desire of not losing to the fellow pupil of Ur, even for the most trivial of reasons. If only he had been smarter to understand that the real reason was that he didn't want to lose Juvia. That he didn't want to lose her to Lyon or any other man. That he wanted her to be _his_ only.

Gray hated himself for being so slow and having denied to himself to feel what he felt for that weird mage. Until he gradually started to throw in the towel, and realized that what he thought to be weird was actually what made her unique. The way she got nervous around him, or possessive at the mere approximation of another woman, or even when her imagination went much further than it should. Juvia might have her eccentricities, but he had learned to think they made her even more adorable and, _dammit_, he hated to admit that to himself.

Gray laughed alone in the room remembering his own stupidity. He glanced at Juvia, still in deep sleep, and thought about how his life would be without her. If he had lost her to Lyon due to the simple fact of not understanding that she was important to him. He wanted her all to himself. About that he didn't mind being selfish. He smiled warmly at the sight of the delicate gold ring adorning Juvia's finger in the hand she kept close to her face. She was his, and nobody else's. And he wore his own ring as a sign that no one could try to get him away from Juvia. _He_ was hers.

The sunlight was getting more intense, and Gray decided to enjoy the little time he still had of that moment by her side. He went back under the sheets and laced his fingers with Juvia's. She moved a little and, still asleep, blew a weary sigh through her nose, her hot breath caressing Gray's skin.

"You should have told me earlier how you felt about me," he whispered. "How did you expect this idiot here to realize things on his own?"

She didn't answer, obviously, but it made Gray wonder how the Juvia of years ago would react if she saw herself in the same bed as him. He could neatly see her turning all red and stuttering, maybe even fainting from being overwhelmed with emotion. Of course Juvia had matured over the years, but some habits weren't so easy to be abandoned. Every so often when Gray unconsciously undressed, he could see her cheeks flushing, no matter how she tried to hide it. And still, even though she had abandoned the honorific treatment towards him long ago, she would still occasionally let slip a "Gray-sama" without noticing.

But Gray noticed. And he loved it. All that made Juvia someone unique to him. That was the Juvia he had learned, even though unintentionally, to love. And he really couldn't believe he had wasted so much time to realize it.

So he gently pressed her hand intertwined in his and came closer to her to give a tender kiss on her forehead. At the touch of his lips, Juvia inhaled deeply and began to move, waking up at last. She opened her eyes, groggy, and smiled at the sight of Gray in front of her.

"Good morning, Gray-sama," she said huskily, stretching her arms without much effort.

And there it was.

He would never be able to resist to all her particularities. He could bang his head against the wall as much as he wanted to, wondering why it had taken so long to _discover_ Juvia, but to speak the truth... moments like that compensated all the time in the world he could have lost.

Gray chuckled.

"Good morning, Juvia."

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**This story was originally written _before_ the chapters 282 and 283 (you know, the ones that just threw Gruvia in your faces), so Gray realizes his feelings for Juvia in a different way here. Oh, and if he seems OOC, remember that he's already an adult and _married_ to Juvia, therefore not so dense and awkward anymore.  
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**(Fairy Tail's next chapter is called "Pandemonium". Juvia's love chart, is that it? *excited for this Friday*)  
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**Don't forget a review! Critics are always welcome. :D And let me know if you would like more stories in English (IF my English skills are good enough, you know).  
**

**~Amanary**

**(EDIT: Okay, so Pandemonioum wasn't about Juvia after all. But we got to see Erza kicking some major ass!)**


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